The present invention relates to a device and a method for transporting containers and in particular drinks containers. Such devices are known for example in the form of transport belts or transport stars. Such transport stars normally have a multiplicity of gripper elements which can grip the containers for example below their carrier ring and transport them from a first processing unit to a further processing unit. For certain requirements in the field of the drinks production industry however it is necessary to change the pitch between the individual containers and on the path from one treatment plant to a further treatment plant. To this end for example so-called pitch-change stars are used. DE 10 2006 023 531 discloses a device for transporting unit goods. Here a transport star is provided, on the individual arms of which are mounted in turn swivelable or rotatable extensions with gripper elements for the containers. In this way the containers can be transported not only in relation to a rotary axis about which the transport star is rotatably mounted, but also in relation to further pivot axes.
WO 2009/144664 A2 also discloses a system for production of plastic containers and in particular plastic bottles. Here a feed star is provided which supplies plastic preforms to a blow-moulding machine, wherein this feed star has a multiplicity of arms pivotable on the carrier star, wherein the individual gripper elements are again pivotable in relation to these arms. This pivotability in relation to two different axes already allows greater degrees of freedom in transporting containers. However such drives with double pivot joints are comparatively complex both to program and to produce.